Kingdoms!

Well, since Blogger was down on Thursday night, I wasn't able to comment on your blogs, post my own, or anything!! Talk about frustrating.  And I had to pay for internet by the hour in Florida (I'll try to limit my Embassy Suites frustration!), and I'd already bought time..only to find out Blogger had been down for hours, and wouldn't be back up anytime soon. : (

We had another great day at Disney, fitting in both Animal Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom, since we like to take in all we can!  It was a long day, though.  It was on Thursday night that I decided we couldn't take an entire seven days-we just go at it too hard.  Maybe we'd lighten up instead of fitting a week into five days? : )

I have to tell you some crazy things happened on Thursday and Friday.  On Thursday morning, we rode Expedition Everest, and they stopped the ride while we were up in the dark of the mountain where you "see" the Yeti shadow.  We sat for a good four-five minutes.  Seriously.  We all started talking (then yelling) since we didn't know if another coaster would come along and bump us it was so long!  Finally it started back up, but talk about weird.

Then that afternoon, almost the same thing happened on Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom!  They stopped us before the big hill (on top in the bright sun!), forever.  We started yelling down to the people who could see us!  After they got us down, they stopped the ride for a while.  They said there were some maintenance issues.  (So..now I'm wondering..is it US?  Are we too heavy?  Do we have lots of metal in our blood?)

Then, we got ready to fly back yesterday, and I don't know if you heard, but there was a "note" found in the bathroom at our local airport (XNA), and it has caused problems.  We don't know what it said, but they stopped the outgoing flight at Charlotte and checked all the baggage before the people went inside.  We had to have an extra hand-check of our bags while we were in line to board the plane back.  Then, we sat at the gate (on the plane) for about 45 minutes, then on the tarmac for almost 30 minutes.  They told us there was a thingy that was supposed to be automatic, would work manually, but they were "resetting" it.  I think it was hooey.

All of it together?  Very Strange.  Since we are home, safe and sound, I'm going to choose to forget it and be thankful.  Maybe I should be thankful for all the security measures (automatic and manual).  Maybe they kept me and my family alive.  Have you heard the Blessings song by Laura Story?  Perfect right now. : )

Here are a few pictures of our fun on Thursday (although they seem so irrelevant now!):

Planning our day with the map..

In front of the Tree of Life : ) We didn't want to wait for the PhotoPass photographer, he had a line!

Before we rode Expedition Everest!

Inside the line for the Dinosaur ride.

The newest thang: Vinylmation Cutesters: shaped like Mickey, but with different faces and designs

Rex the Dinosaur Vinylmation!

He's been growing up in front of this dinosaur skeleton!

We made a friend, and he's in our pictures! : )

I liked this one since I could see the big circle on her dress ; )

This is outside Disney, but made me LAUGH!  The back says, "Best Tail in Town!"

We love you, Cinderella's Castle!

On Transit Authority: our friend since there is never a line ; )

While we sat having a snack, people on a treasure hunt kept coming up to this futuristic phone-so the kids had to play with it!!

Aren't the roses beautiful?

The parade was still going on, but look at that lush lawn + castle = Gorgeous!

We got there a few minutes too late to see Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.  They'd just roped it off, so a picture from afar had to make do.

My sweet girl.  About to turn nine!! : )